


everything I do, I do it for you (I'd die for you)

by blackrose1002, BlackVultures



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Angst, Blood, Blood and Injury, Blow Jobs, Established Relationship, Gunshot Wounds, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-26 21:49:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21381121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackrose1002/pseuds/blackrose1002, https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackVultures/pseuds/BlackVultures
Summary: Jack fell to his knees and squeezed off two quick shots of his own, killing Marakov when they hit him in the heart, and for a second Mac thought that maybe Jack was okay... except then he collapsed on his back and Mac saw the hole in the lower front portion of his vest. "Jack, shit," he said, dropping to his knees next to him and undoing the straps on the vest hurriedly. "Are you hurt, did the bullet..." He trailed off when he saw the spreading patch of red on the front of Jack's t-shirt... right over his gut.(Or the one where Jack pushes Mac out of the way.)
Relationships: Jack Dalton/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 151





	everything I do, I do it for you (I'd die for you)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there!
> 
> Here we go again, Sammy and I are here with another angst fest. We literally _just_ wrote this and I decided to put it together right away and post it. I hope I fixed all the typos, if I didn't, I'll definitely do it soon.
> 
> The title is from a song "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" by Bryan Adams.
> 
> Enjoy!

"God dammit, why- why do they always run?" Jack gasped out, taking a sharp turn behind one of the crates, and Mac followed him, chuckling a little. They were not far from home - in San Diego - trying to deal with a Russian group that had started dealing guns around and one of their leaders was the one they were currently chasing.

"Come on, man, it'll be good for your cardio," Mac teased breathlessly. "Not sure exactly where he went. We should split up."

Jack made an incredulous sound as they paused to catch their breath. "Split up? Darlin', that's how every horror movie starts." Mac felt his cheeks flush, because he still wasn't used to Jack using endearments around him - especially in the field, but the warehouse they were in was blocking the comm signal so nobody was going to overhear them.

"It's gonna take us too long to search if we stay together, Marakov will get away," Mac pointed out, and he tried not to smile when Jack rolled his eyes.

"Fine, you go left, I'll go right, we meet back here in _five minutes_ if we don't find him," Jack instructed, and reached out to squeeze Mac's wrist before he jogged away, calling over his shoulder, "And if you're gettin' shot at, remember to duck!"

This time it was Mac's turn to roll his eyes, but he also couldn't stop himself from smiling. He headed left, forcing himself to focus and not think about Jack for a moment as he glanced around, searching for Marakov. It wasn't easy, though, and his mind did drift to his boyfriend - boyfriend! - but thankfully Mac had always been great at dividing his attention. They had been together for a few months, getting their shit together after a particularly nasty mission that had happened not long after Jack had gotten back from hunting Kovacs. They had finally talked about all the mistakes they had made - Mac with the Nigeria mess and Jack with the way he had handled leaving for his assignment - and as it turned out, Mac's feeling weren't as unrequited as he had thought. So now, five months later there he was, happier than ever and together with Jack - he had everything he had always wanted.

Well, almost everything, because what he wanted right now is to find Marakov so they could go home. He started glancing around crates and noticed he was getting closer to the middle of the warehouse, which meant he was more likely to run into Jack than he was to Marakov. And sure enough, he turned the next corner and bumped into Jack's barrel chest. "Shit, baby, I almost shot you," Jack said, reaching out to steady Mac with the hand that wasn't holding his gun. "Where the hell is this guy? It's like he vanished."

"No idea," Mac muttered, looking around and seeing nothing but bigger and smaller crates. He was sure Marakov must have been hiding somewhere around because there was no way he had gotten outside.

"I don't like this," Jack grumbled, also glancing around. "We're out in the open with a crazy Russian dude lurking around, that's no bueno."

"Look, I'm sure he's-" Mac started, but didn't get to finish and what happened next felt like it was happening in a slow motion. One second Jack was watching him with a fond expression on his face and then his eyes saw something above Mac's shoulder because they widened and suddenly Jack was grabbing his arm, pushing him aside... and a sound of gunshot echoed in the warehouse.

Jack fell to his knees and squeezed off two quick shots of his own, killing Marakov when they hit him in the heart, and for a second Mac thought that maybe Jack was okay... except then he collapsed on his back and Mac saw the hole in the lower front portion of his vest. "Jack, shit," he said, dropping to his knees next to him and undoing the straps on the vest hurriedly. "Are you hurt, did the bullet..." He trailed off when he saw the spreading patch of red on the front of Jack's t-shirt... right over his gut. "No," he breathed out, his hands suddenly shaking. "No, no, no." He gently lifted Jack's t-shirt and barely stifled a whimper when he saw the wound in Jack's body. "Hey, it's gonna be alright. You're gonna be just fine," he said, forcing his voice to stay steady while he was panicking on the inside. Jack was conscious, but his breathing was all wrong and his eyes were wide and glassy with pain, and Mac _knew_ this was bad, but he couldn't tell Jack that. "You'll be fine, Jack."

Mac felt around the wound as gently as he could, and the hard bump of a bullet was easy to find under Jack's skin. It seemed like it was in one piece - it had to be large-caliber in order to punch through Jack's vest - which worked in their favor because it was less likely to break apart. He could leave the warehouse and call for an ambulance, but that would mean leaving Jack...and there was no guarantee help would arrive in time. Mac forced his hands to stop trembling as he pulled out his Swiss Army knife with one and touched Jack's cheek with the other. "Babe, I need you to stay with me, okay?" he requested, trying to keep his tone steady as he plastered on a reassuring smile. "Do you have your lighter on you?"

Jack’s gaze snapped to him, his eyes full of pain, and he seemed to be forcing himself to think. “Y-yeah,” he rasped out, and moved a shaking hand to one of his pockets. Mac grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently, and put it back on the ground.

“I’ve got it,” he whispered, reaching into Jack’s pocket and finding the lighter. He set it aside along with his knife and leaned over Jack, framing his face with both hands. “Listen to me,” he whispered, and he knew his eyes were filling with tears, but he couldn't stop it. “I’m... it’s gonna be fine.” He knew he sounded like a broken record, but he needed to keep saying that - if not to convince Jack then to convince himself. “But what I’m about to do is going to suck, so I need you to stay strong for me. Can you do that?”

Jack looked him in the eye and swallowed hard, and Mac had the distinct feeling he wasn't going to like what Jack said next. "You should... probably get going, hoss," he said, and while there was no blood bubbling from between his lips, he sounded strained like he was having a hard time breathing. "I... I don't think I'm gonna make it outta here."

"Shut up," Mac hissed, leaning down to press their foreheads together for a moment. "I'm not gonna let you die here, I swear." He forced himself to lean back and flicked on the lighter, running the flame over the blade of his knife. "Don't hit me. I have to get the bullet out and that means slicing you open."

“M-Mac,” Jack said, reaching out with a shaking hand to wrap his fingers around Mac’s wrist. Mac put the lighter aside and took the knife with his left hand while Jack held on to his right, giving his wrist a weak squeeze. Too weak. “It’s... not safe here, baby,” Jack whispered, his lips barely moving. “Go.”

Mac shook his head, trying to keep his breathing steady while the tears in his eyes started spilling down his face. "I don't care, I'm not leaving you," he said, shifting to grab Jack's hand and squeeze it before he set it back on the ground... and reached for Jack's gun, picking it up and putting it in his lap. "If I have to I'll use this, but I won't leave you behind, Jack." A pathetic excuse for a smile. "I can't." And before Jack could react to that, Mac palmed the knife in his right hand and made a cut through the entry wound, searching for the shine of the bullet and hoping it hadn't done too much damage to Jack's organs.

Jack let out a muffled scream, gritting his teeth and clearly trying to stay quiet despite the excruciating pain he must have been in. “I know, I know,” Mac whispered, blinking when his vision blurred with more tears. After a moment, though, he spotted the bullet lodged inside Jack and after some prodding he managed to pick it out, his heart breaking when Jack whimpered in pain.

He held the bullet up in bloody fingers to get a look at it, and it appeared that his earlier guess was correct - it was a .50 cal, probably from a Desert Eagle, and it was in one piece. But like most large-caliber bullets, it had done way more damage than a .22 or a .45. When Mac got closer to the wound he could see that the bullet had blown apart Jack's gallbladder, green bile shining all over his other organs, but it had miraculously missed his stomach. Unfortunately it looked like it had knicked his liver, which meant if Mac didn't find a way to stop the bleeding, Jack was going to die. Soon.

He exhaled shakily and forced himself to think. It was bad, very bad, and he couldn't afford to lose time while panicking, but the fear of losing Jack was almost overwhelming. “Okay, babe. It’s not pretty, but... but I’ll figure it out,” he said, hoping he didn't sound too panicked, but when he looked up he saw that Jack’s eyes were closed. “Jack? Jack, baby, come on,” he pleaded, his voice losing that fake calmness and shaking a little as he grabbed Jack’s face with his bloody hands. “Jack, open your eyes. Please, babe.”

Jack stirred a little but didn't wake fully, and Mac knew he was losing precious time. Cauterizing the inside and the outside of the wound was the quickest way to stop the bleeding, and once Mac did that he could call Matty for a medical evacuation - but Jack needed to be awake to defend himself for that, so maybe letting him rest for a moment wasn't a bad idea. Wiping his hands off on his own shirt, Mac grabbed Jack's gun and ejected the magazine, shaking out a few bullets before he put the clip back in the gun. Then he pried open the bullets and started sprinkling the gunpowder inside the wound, which was uncomfortable enough that it made Jack's eyes open into slits. "This is gonna suck, Jack," Mac told him, picking up the lighter again. "I have to cauterize everything." Jack didn't say anything, making a soft sound instead, and Mac swallowed hard before flicking the lighter on. “I’m sorry, baby,” he choked out, and then he lighted the wound up. Jack’s body jolted a little as he let out another sharp cry, but thankfully cauterizing was something that didn't last for too long, so it was over pretty quickly. Mac touched Jack’s cheek with his hand, thumbing away the tears from under his eye, and he took a deep breath, trying not to fall apart. “There’s nothing more I can do for you,” he whispered, blinking away his own tears. “I have to call Matty, but...” He checked his phone just in case. “I don’t have any reception here.”

Jack turned his face into Mac's touch, and he was looking far too pale and drawn for Mac's liking. "Go do it," he whispered, his voice laced with exhaustion and pain. "Leave my gun, yeah? I think we got all of Marakov's guys, but..."

"Yeah, of course," Mac said, and he placed the gun on Jack's chest, then grabbed his right hand and put it on top of the weapon before he stood up on shaky legs. "I'll be right back, okay?"

Jack nodded a little and after one last glance at him Mac started running towards the exit. He kept his phone in his hand, checking the bars constantly, not wanting to get any farther than he needed to, but it wasn't until he was outside and a few feet away from the warehouse that he got the signal. He glanced around and the surroundings seemed quiet and peaceful, so he picked Matty's number with a shaky finger and waited for her to pick up.

She did after two signals, her tone brisk and business-like as always. "Mac, finally, we were starting to-"

"Matty," Mac choked out, cutting her off, and she fell silent when she heard the tone of his voice. And suddenly Mac couldn't keep it together any longer and he failed to stifle a sob. "M-med evac. Please, Matty."

Matty kept him on the line but started barking orders into another one, no doubt reading the seriousness of the situation based off Mac's voice. "Angus? What happened?" James asked after putting the call on speaker.

Despite the fact that their relationship was rocky at best, Mac found himself crying harder at the sound of his dad's voice. "Jack, he... he got shot," he managed to say, and heard Riley gasp in the background. "It's... it's bad, I had to... dig the bullet out and cauterize the wound. Then I left him to call you."

"Okay, listen to me," James's voice was calm and steady, and there was some shuffling in the background. "The ambulance is on its way, it's going to take you to a hospital. And we'll be there as soon as we can."

"Okay," Mac whispered, and then he hung up and raced back into the warehouse. Jack wasn't moving, even when his footsteps echoed around the warehouse, and Mac's heart stopped when he dropped down to his knees and saw that Jack's eyes are closed. "Jack, Jack," he said frantically, framing Jack's face with his hands. "Please, open your eyes. Please." He didn't move, and for a second Mac wasn't sure he was even breathing. "No, no, no," he whispered, dread flooding his body as he pressed his fingers to Jack's neck, searching for a pulse. "Jack, please - please don't leave me." It took a moment of feeling around, but Mac let out a sob of relief when he felt Jack's heartbeat under his hand, weak and thready but alive all the same. He needed Jack to stay awake, he hasn't lost too much blood... so before Mac could second-guess himself, he drew his hand back and slaps Jack across the face, hard. "Jack, _wake up_."

Jack groaned and blinked his eyes open, his gaze unfocused until it settled on Mac. “Jack,” Mac breathed out, taking Jack’s face in his hands again and gently rubbing the skin with his thumbs. “I-I need you to stay awake, okay? The ambulance is on the way.” Jack only exhaled softly, his eyes dropping, and Mac let out another quiet sob. “Jack, please, just a moment longer. Please, I... I can’t do this without you, you can’t leave me.” Sniffling, he leaned down to press the softest kiss to Jack’s lips. “You p-promised, remember?”

"I... sorry, darlin'," Jack mumbled, his voice almost unrecognizable for how small it was. His eyes were focusing on something over Mac's shoulder, but when Mac looked there was nothing there, and this couldn't be happening, it _couldn't_ be. "I wanted to... stick around for a while, you know? But I'm not sure I... can." His eyes slipped shut again and Mac wanted to scream, wanted to revive Marakov somehow just to kill him again, but before he could do much more than sob he heard voices and footsteps and a group of paramedics came rushing around the crates with a stretcher.

They pushed him aside and Mac let them, knowing they could do much more for Jack than he could. They worked on him quickly, shouting short commands between each other, and then they put Jack on the stretcher. Mac followed them outside where the ambulance was waiting and he climbed inside before anyone could stop him. No one protested and Mac didn't know if it was because they had been told not to, or if it was because of the look on his face, but he didn't care. The ride to the hospital didn't take long and Mac spent it clutching Jack's hand in both of his, but once they got to the hospital they took Jack away and Mac was forced to wait in a small waiting room. He dropped down on a chair and stares at the wall, silent tears rolling down his cheeks, not even wanting to consider the possibility of Jack not making it.

He didn't know how long he sat there by himself, covered in Jack's dried blood and flash-burned gunpowder, but he looked away from the wall in front of him when he heard the door to the waiting area open. The first person he saw was Riley, who made a beeline toward him and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. He returned the embrace, hiding his face in her hair - they both loved Jack in different ways, and he knew she must have been just as distraught as he was. Matty, James and Bozer all came in too, and the first thing Matty said was, "Leanna and Desi are on their way back from Mumbai as we speak. Have you heard anything yet?"

Once Riley let him go and sat down next to him, Mac shook his head. "No, nothing," he said quietly, his voice hoarse from crying. "But it's been a while, so..." He trailed off, shrugging a little, and then he felt someone sit down on the chair on his other side and he instantly knew it was Bozer.

"He's gonna be fine, man," he said softly. "You know how badass and stubborn he is, he'll bounce right back."

Mac nodded, but his eyes filled with fresh tears when he thought about how pale Jack had looked and how... defeated he had sounded right before he had lost consciousness. Bozer wrapped his arm around him and just held him while Matty and James also sat down, and then... they waited.

Mac wasn't sure how much time passed, but then there was some shuffling in the hallway and a doctor walked into the room. "The family of Jack Dalton?"

They all stood up, and when Mac swayed on his feet Bozer steadied him. "I'm his next of kin," he said, voice hoarse from crying.

The doctor looked at him over the rims of his glasses, then down at his clipboard. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Dalton has no next of kin listed. Are there any blood relatives here?"

"No, but I - " Riley started, while Mac was still reeling from finding out he was no longer Jack's next of kin.

The doctor held up a hand. "I'm sorry, but if you're not related to Mr. Dalton then I can't let you see him. He's out of surgery but his condition is very delicate. That's all I can tell you."

"Delicate? What does that mean?" Mac asked, stepping out of Bozer's grasp and closer to the doctor. "No, you don't understand," he choked out when the doctor started shaking his head. "I'm his boyfriend. And she's basically his daughter." He gestured at Riley with a trembling hand. "You need to let us see him."

"I don't need to do anything," the doctor said, the tone of his voice almost bored. "And I'm sorry, but that's not enough," he added, not sounding sorry at all. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Mac wasn't sure what happened next. One minute he was standing next to Riley and Bozer, and the next he was slamming the doctor into the nearest wall and getting right in his face, a forearm pressed against his throat. "You're going to let me see him the polite way or the painful way," he snarled, slamming his other hand flat against the wall next to his head. "Your choice."

"Doctor," James said calmly, walking up to them and not making a move to peel Mac away. "You don't know who I am, but believe me when I tell you I can make your life a living hell. That man you're treating means the world to my son, and I'll be more than happy to get you fired from the hospital in about five minutes if it means he gets to see Jack."

Mac could barely hear his dad through the buzzing in his ears and if he hadn't been so panicked and worried, he probably would have been surprised by his words, considering they hadn't been getting along lately. "Don't forget his medical license," Matty threw in, also stepping closer, and Mac saw James nod with a cold smile.

"That's right, thank you for reminding me. You can also kiss your license goodbye if you keep causing problems."

"This is insane!" the doctor squeaked out, looking between them with wide eyes and trying to get away, but Mac's grip on him was firm. "I'm gonna call the cops!"

"Oh, please do," Matty said sweetly. "And then I'm going to call them to say it's just a false alarm and there's no need to take action. And trust me, they'll listen to me."

The doctor continued to sputter indignantly, and Matty walked off to the nurses station. A moment later, two hulking security guards showed up to escort the doctor from the hospital property, since he had just gotten fired. Only then did Mac let him go, barely paying attention to his kicking and screaming as he focused on Matty. "Where's his room? Did you ask if we could see him?"

The look on Matty's face softened in a way it rarely did and she reached out to squeeze Mac's wrist. "We can, and another doctor will come to tell us about his condition. The nurse only asked to not make a crowd, so maybe you should go in alone for now." She smiled softly. "Second floor, room 211."

The moment he heard that, Mac was running and he knew Matty wouldn't be mad about him not even thanking her. He took the stairs, not wanting to waste time on elevators, and soon he was jogging through the hallway on the second floor, almost sobbing in relief when he saw the number 211 on the door. He took a deep breath before he pushed the door open, slowly and quietly so he didn't startle Jack. He was asleep on his back in the hospital bed, blankets pulled up to his chin and an IV and blood infusion plugged into his left hand, a pulse monitor on his right. He had an oxygen cannula on his face and even under the layers of covers Mac could tell his middle was swathed in thick bandages. Mac all but fell into the chair next to the bed, carefully taking Jack's right hand in both of his. "I'm so sorry, Jack," he whispered, kissing Jack's scarred knuckles. "I tried my best, I tried to help you... but I don't know if it was enough."

He sniffled quietly and put his elbows on the mattress, pressing his forehead against their joined hands. He tried to get himself together, but he eventually gave up, failing to stop the tears as looked up at Jack. "It should've been me," he whispered. When he had been sitting alone in the waiting room he had been going over what happened, replaying the moment over and over again in his head, and then it had hit him what Jack had done. "You pushed me out of the way." He sniffled again, squeezing Jack's hand. "You idiot." Gently, he set Jack's hand back on the mattress and he shifted closer, so that he could rest his folded arms on Jack's thigh. He buried his face in them and let out a tiny sob, his shoulders shaking as he kept crying, doing his best to stay completely quiet.

He kept crying for a while, he didn't know how long, but the next thing he was aware of besides his own painful, jagged sobs was a hand touching the top of his head. Familiar calloused fingers started running through his hair, and Jack's voice rumbled into his ears a moment later: "I'd do it again, darlin'." Mac's head snapped up, his eyes wide as he stared at Jack's pale but smiling face, and then he shoved himself forward, leaning over to kiss him maybe a little too hard on the mouth.

He forced himself to pull back after a few seconds and he sat back in his chair, grabbing Jack's hand again. Jack let out a raspy chuckle and immediately winced, but he squeezed Mac's fingers, his grip still weak, but not like back in the warehouse. "How bad, baby?" Jack murmured before Mac could say anything, and Mac ducked his head, biting his lower lip.

"I... I'm not sure?" he said quietly. "Your doctor kind of... got fired."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "How did that happen?" he asked, his thumb rubbing over the back of Mac's hand.

"I... lost it for a minute," Mac admitted, and glanced at Jack. "He told us you didn't have a next of kin. Did you... did you change something in your records? I thought that was me... or that it would at least be Riley."

Jack sighed, looking at the ceiling for a moment before turning his gaze back to Mac. "I... before the Kovacs mission we weren't doing that great," he started. His voice still sounded hoarse and tired, but he was awake, he was alive and that was all that mattered. "And I... I figured you wouldn't want to be bothered if anything happened to me on that assignment, so... I removed your name. Didn't want to bother Riley either, so I just... didn't list anyone." He sighed again, squeezing Mac's hand. "I meant to put your name back, but then it kinda slipped my mind."

Mac blinked, sure he must have been misunderstanding what Jack had just said. "You didn't want to bother anyone?" he repeated, and when Jack nodded, he leaned forward and asked, "Are you insane? In what fucking universe would we not want to be _bothered_ if you were hurt? Jack, no matter how bad shit was between us I always would've shown up if you needed me." He stared for another moment before he shook his head. "You're an idiot. I love you, but you're an actual moron." He swallowed hard. "And I'm so glad you're alive."

"Not gonna argue with you about the idiot part," Jack muttered. "I'm so sorry, baby. It was stupid."

Mac nodded in agreement and used his free hand to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "He wouldn't let me see you. That doctor," he said quietly, his gaze fixed on their entwined hands. "I pushed him against the wall and then my dad and Matty started threatening him..." He shook his head when he felt on the verge of crying again. "You... will you update your records? It... it doesn't have to be me, but... at least Riley."

"Hey, look at me?" Jack requested, and when Mac did he smiled. "I'll make it you again, baby. I love you so much."

"I love you too," Mac murmured, and leaned in to kiss Jack again, softer and sweeter this time.

And that was around the time a doctor cleared her throat from the doorway and they broke apart quickly, blushing like teenagers. "Hi, Jack, my name is Doctor Hoover," she said, offering them an understanding smile. "You're very lucky to be alive. I think you have this young man to thank for that."

"Most of the time I do," Jack drawled with a smile, turning on that damn charm of his, and Mac rolled his eyes.

He sat back in the chair and took Jack's hand again, forcing himself to look away from him to talk to the doctor. "How is he? I'm assuming the surgery went well, but I'm... I didn't get a chance to find out more details earlier," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, well aware that this doctor must have known what had happened to her colleague.

To his surprise, Hoover rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, you had Richardson as your doc. Honestly, I'm happy to see him go - I don't like speaking ill of anyone but I'm pretty sure he was skimming meds out of the pharmacy." She came closer and checked Jack's vitals. "You no longer have a gallbladder. It's not a vital organ, but it's going to take your body a while to adjust to processing fats without it. Thanks to your boyfriend's quick thinking we didn't have to chase the bullet around inside you, but we did have to take out a small section of your liver - it should grow back on its own. Most of your organs had to be lavaged... I'm afraid you're going to have quite a nasty scar from the midline incision, though."

“That’s fine, I already have plenty of those,” Jack said, and Mac discreetly took a deep breath, briefly closing his eyes as the relief spread through his body. Jack was going to be okay, he was alive and he was going to be just fine, and suddenly Mac felt like sobbing again, only this time in relief. Jack squeezed his hand and when Mac glanced up he gave him a soft, knowing look before turning his attention back to Hoover. “So, doc, when can I get outta here?”

"Not today," Hoover replied, chuckling when Jack pouted. "You need to stay overnight, you're still getting blood put back in your body. If you're in good condition tomorrow we'll talk then." She headed back for the door. "I'll let your family know they can come up to see you."

She left, and Mac let his forehead drop to rest on Jack's shoulder. "I'm glad you're going to be alright," he whispered. "I was so worried."

"Hey now," Jack murmured, pressing his lips to Mac's hair. "You're not getting rid of me that easily."

Mac tried to smile, but it didn't really work and he exhaled shakily. "It was... really bad, Jack," he whispered. "I couldn't... I didn't know what to do-"

Before he could continue there was a soft knock on the door and when he lifted his head he saw Riley standing in the doorway. He gave her a shaky smile and she came inside, immediately wrapping her arms around Jack in a gentle hug. Mac moved away, wanting to give her more space and trying to breathe, but his chest felt tight with guilt and his hands started shaking again.

The rest of the gang came in and they all got closer to bed to talk to Jack, and Mac suddenly needed air, so he stepped outside, leaning against the wall in the hallway. He closed his eyes and kept breathing in and out, but he didn't get too much time to be by himself because after a moment he heard footsteps getting closer. "Angus?" His dad's voice sounded next to him. "You alright?"

Mac squeezed his eyes shut tighter and shook his head. "No," he whispered, and when he felt his dad's hand on his shoulder he broke again, covering his mouth to try and contain his sobs.

James pulled him into a hug, and when Mac's legs got weak James sank down to the floor with him. "Hey, easy, Jack's okay," his dad said, rubbing his back. "Everything's gonna be fine, son."

And Mac knew that, but it didn't make him feel any better at the moment, not really. He shook his head again and pressed himself closer, hiding his face in his dad's shoulder and clutching his shirt with his hands, just like he used to do when he was a little kid and had gotten scared of something. "This is all my fault," he whimpered, his voice shaking. "Should've been me."

"Angus, no," James said, holding him closer, one hand coming up to cup the back of his head. "I don't agree with Jack on much, but we both love you. And I know he doesn't regret what he did for a second. I would've done the same thing."

Mac let out another sob, punching James's chest lightly because he didn't get it. "H-he almost died," he whispered. "He almost died because he pushed me away and took a bullet for me." Sniffling, he took in a shaky breath. "I can't... I can't lose him, not like this. I can't... have him sacrifice himself and _die_ while trying to save me."

"His job is to protect you," James pointed out, his voice surprisingly gentle. "And I'm not saying that as his boss, but as your father. He's damn good at his job, Angus, that's why I chose him back when you were in Afghanistan. A romantic relationship wasn't the result I expected from your partnership..." He trailed off, smiling a little. "But I'm grateful to Jack for doing what he does. And for the record, I don't think he wants to be doing anything else but saving the world with you."

"But not at the cost of his own life," Mac said, his voice muffled by James's shirt. "I'm... I know he's supposed to protect me, but I'll never forgive myself if he dies while doing that."

Before James could reply another set of footsteps sounded nearby and when Mac looked up he saw Matty. "There's a hotel nearby, I booked us a few rooms," she said softly, raising her hand when Mac opened his mouth. "Yes, I know you're not going anywhere. Bozer has a bag with some clean clothes for you." Nodding, Mac gave her a grateful smile and slowly stood up, swaying a little. "He's asking for you," Matty added, and Mac hastily wiped his eyes, knowing it was in vain - Jack would most definitely notice.

"Did... did someone let Desi and Leanna know he's okay?" Mac remembered to ask.

His dad stood up too, pulling out his phone. "I'll text them right now. Oh, and Angus? I'm sorry. For everything."

"Me too, dad," Mac whispered, and he finally felt like the distance between him and James had shrunk a little. He paused while Riley and Bozer came out of the room, the latter handing Mac a bag of clothes that he had failed to notice was slung over Bozer's shoulder earlier. "Thanks, Boze," he said softly, and Bozer squeezed his shoulder before the gang left to check into the hotel, with promises of coming back with Leanna and Desi in the morning.

When Mac went back into the room he shut the door behind himself and tried to hide his blotchy face from Jack, but it didn't work. "Hey, c'mere," Jack said, holding out his hand toward Mac. "You look like you need a hug."

Mac felt his lower lip tremble and he sniffled quietly, setting the bag aside. Before he could protest, Jack was shifting on the bed, groaning just a little, and he held out his hand again. “Come on, baby,” he murmured, and Mac shuffled closer and slowly climbed on the mattress, careful not to jostle Jack.

He immediately curled into his side and exhales shakily when Jack’s arm wrapped around his shoulders and he realized how fucked up this was. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “You’re the one who’s hurt, I should... I should be holding and comforting you.”

"You are," Jack murmured into his hair, nuzzling at his ear a second later. "I feel better just havin' you this close." One of his hands stroked slowly up and down Mac's spine, the other one coming up to cup the back of his neck. "Riley said they were heading to a hotel for the night. You staying with me?"

"Of course I am," Mac said, fingers gripping the front of Jack's hospital gown. "I mean... you want me to, right?"

"You heard what I just said, right?" Jack murmured, his voice a little teasing, and Mac almost sobbed in relief, because at one point he had been really afraid he wasn't going to hear Jack's voice again. "Besides, I always want you close, baby." Mac nodded a little, but he didn't say anything, still too choked up, and after a moment Jack sighed, holding him a little tighter. "Wanna tell me what's wrong, darlin'? 'Cause I can tell it ain't only about me gettin' shot."

Mac pushed his face into Jack's shoulder and closed his eyes. "You... you pushed me out of the way," he whispered, voice shaking. He knew they had touched on this earlier, but after talking with his dad it was on his mind. "I know it's your job to protect me, Jack, but...if you had died today, it would've destroyed me. And I can't - I know this isn't exactly something new, but I don't know how to deal with it."

Jack sighed again and a moment later Mac felt his lips on the top of his head. "I'm okay, baby. I didn't die, so let's just... focus on that?" he said softly. "Because, Mac, I... I can't promise you this won't happen again. I'll always jump in front of you, and not because it's my job. I'll do it because I love you."

Mac tilted his head back to look at Jack and the adoration in his expression was enough to steal Mac's breath. "Would you believe that my dad just told me the same thing?" he asked, lips curving into a wry smile.

Jack looked surprised, but he recovered quickly. "Your old man is far from perfect, but he loves you too," he said, fingers massaging the back of Mac's skull. "And I think something he and I agree on is that we'd do anything to protect you."

"Yeah, he said that too," Mac muttered, leaning in to kiss Jack's jaw. "But can we just agree that... you'll try not to get yourself killed?" he asked quietly, still gripping Jack's hospital gown with his hands. "Because that would... that would destroy me. I can't do this without you."

Jack looked at him for a long moment. "You ever think maybe that works both ways?" he asked, his hand sliding around to cup Mac's cheek. "That I can't do this without you either? Mac, baby, some days you're the only thing that keeps me sane, that reminds me I'm more than all the bad shit I've done." While Mac stared at him in stunned silence - that thought had never crossed his mind - Jack sighed again, expression softening. "I'll try, okay? But if I ever see something coming and you don't, you've gotta understand that I'll always protect you."

"I'm... okay," Mac whispered, realizing he was not going to win this one. "But you're right, it does work both ways. And I'd also do anything to protect you, so..." He trailed off, pressing himself closer to Jack. "I guess we just have to find a way to keep each other safe without dying, hmm?"

Jack smiled at him, leaning in to kiss his forehead. "I guess so. Seems like I'm gonna be out of commission for a while though... maybe you could take some vacation time?"

"I think that can be arranged," Mac said, and settled his head back down on Jack's shoulder before he remembered the clothes. "Oh... I should probably take a shower. I'm still covered in your blood."

"I'd offer to join you, but..." Jack trailed off, gesturing at himself, and Mac chuckled a little, his chest feeling lighter.

"You think they're gonna yell at me if I use the bathroom here?" he asked with a small grin, and Jack leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"I'm not gonna snitch on you."

Mac's grin widened, and he pushed himself off the bed and grabbed the bag of clothes Bozer had brought for him before stepping into the bathroom. It was big enough for a wheelchair, which meant all he had to do was strip off his soiled clothes and walk into the shower. It felt good to scrub the blood and dirt off of his body, and while he didn't bother washing his hair he at least got it wet. Then he dried off with a scratchy towel and threw on sweatpants and a t-shirt before tossing his old clothes in the trash and walking back out to join Jack. While he was gone a nurse had brought in a cot for him, but Jack patted the spot on the bed that Mac had vacated a few minutes ago. "Come on, you don't have to sleep on that thing."

"You sure?" Mac asked, walking up closer. "I don't want to accidentally hurt you or something."

"You won't," Jack said with a grin. "You know how uncomfortable these things are. Plus I need you right here with me, it's a necessity for me to get better."

Mac felt a slow smile spread on his face. "Oh yeah? Am I your nurse or something?" He got back in the bed and cuddled up to Jack as close as he dared, sighing contentedly when Jack pulled the covers over both of them.

"I mean... I'm not opposed to some roleplay," Jack said, wincing when he shifted a little. "Maybe not right now, though."

"Mhmm, probably, but I'm gonna take care of you anyway," Mac mumbled, suddenly feeling exhausted. He was determined not to fall asleep before Jack, though, so he blinked rapidly, trying to wake himself up. "And I definitely think we should explore that roleplay thing," he said, tilting his head to nuzzle Jack's jaw. "You think you'd be up for dressing like a cowboy one day?"

Jack chuckled even though it must have hurt to do so, stroking Mac's hair back from his face. "I can definitely do that. I think I even have some chaps and spurs hanging around somewhere."

"That would be... really hot," Mac said, his brain momentarily going offline at the idea of Jack as a cowboy.

Another kiss to his forehead, accompanied by Jack saying, "Go to sleep, darlin'. I promise I'll be right here in the morning."

“You better be,” Mac mumbled, sinking into Jack’s embrace. He felt Jack relax under him which meant he was probably going to fall asleep soon, so Mac didn't feel as guilty about drifting away before he did. “Love you,” he muttered, and then let his eyes slip shut, and he thought he heard Jack say it back before he fell asleep and everything went dark.

* * *

Jack never slept well in hospitals, what with the nurses coming in to poke and prod him every couple hours and the never ending litany of beeps and whines from all the machines. But when he did manage to go to sleep after listening to the rhythm of Mac's breathing, he was woken up what felt like minutes later by a burning, throbbing agony in his gut. He let out a groan of pain and opened his eyes to see Mac thrashing around in the bed next to him, elbows flying, the rest of him dangerously close to falling onto the floor.

While it was not surprising that Mac was having a nightmare after the day they had had, Jack wished it had happened maybe one night later, back home and back in a normal bed. He groaned again when Mac elbowed him in the ribs, but he still tightened his arm around him, not wanting his boyfriend to end up on the floor. "Mac, baby," he groaned, rubbing his arm and trying to shake him awake. "You're having a nightmare, wake up, darlin'."

Mac went still for a split second before he sat up straight, and if it wasn't for Jack's hand clamping over his mouth his screaming would echoed through the hospital. He fought Jack's grip on him for a moment before he seemed to realize who he was with, and then he went boneless. When Jack took his hand away from Mac's mouth he was alarmed to see tears running down his cheeks, but before could ask what was wrong Mac was burying his face in his shoulder, fingers turning into claws in Jack's hospital gown. "Y-You were dead," he stuttered out, voice shaking so badly he was hard to understand. "You d-died in my a-arms and there was nothing... I couldn't..."

“Hey, hey, shhhh,” Jack said, his voice tight from pain, and he wrapped his arms around Mac. He held him close and rubs his back with one hand, pressing his lips to Mac’s hair. “It was just a nightmare, I’m okay,” he murmured, rocking Mac a little when he started trembling uncontrollably in his arms. “I’m right here, baby, shhh.”

Mac clung to him and shook for a while, not crying openly like he had earlier but somehow this was worse. Once he seemed to calm down a bit he went stock still, and then his head snapped up so he could stare at Jack with wide, red-rimmed eyes. "Oh God, did I hurt you? I did, didn't I? Should I call the nurse?" His voice dropped to something small and scared. "Do... do you want me to leave?"

“What? No, of course not,” Jack rushed to assure him, still slowly rubbing his arm with one hand. His breath hitched a little and Mac looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Mac, baby, I’m fine, really.”

“You don’t sound okay,” Mac whispered, his eyes shining with guilt. “You sound in pain.”

"You elbowed me, it's not a big deal," Jack said, trying for nonchalance, but from the looks of things Mac wasn't buying it. He sighed and held Mac closer, kissing his cheek. "I really am okay, baby. They've got me on enough drugs to make a rabid mule docile."

Mac didn't laugh or chuckle, but he also didn't protest, so Jack counted that as progress. "I'm sorry," he whispered after a moment, snuggling closer, his voice small and broken. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I can... I can go sleep on the cot," he said, but he didn't move to leave, not that Jack would have let him if he tried.

"That's the last thing I want," Jack told him, nuzzling at his temple and breathing in his smell. He was like a beacon of light everywhere they went, but particularly in a place like this. "I love you, and you don't need to apologize or go sleep somewhere else. It ain't like I've never tried to kick your ass in my sleep."

"But you're already so hurt," Mac said quietly. "And it's all my fault, and now I made it even worse." His voice was muffled because Mac's face was basically mashed into Jack's chest, but Jack heard him just fine and his heart broke a little.

"Baby, no," he murmured. "We've talked about this, none of this was your fault. And you didn't make it worse, it's okay."

Mac glanced up at him, blinking those pretty blue eyes. "I respectfully disagree," he mumbled, which was such a _Mac_ thing to say that Jack had to laugh quietly.

"Well, I think if this is the worst argument we have as a couple we're doing pretty well," he said, which earned him the tiniest little smile. He glanced at the light filtering in through the blinds and added, "Looks like they're going to come in to feed me soon... at least I hope so."

"Hate to crush your expectations, but I wouldn't expect much from the hospital food," Mac muttered, growing boneless in Jack's arms again, and curling up against his side. "So I'm fully expecting you to get grumpy real soon like you always do when you're hungry."

"Mhmm, worst part is according to the doc I can't even bribe Bozer into bringing me McDonald's, unless I wanna shit myself," Jack lamented, and he smiled when it made Mac let out a startled laugh. "But you can at least get some real food."

"Mhmm, I guess," Mac said, pressing his face into Jack's neck and sighing. "I just wanna be with you. The rest of it doesn't matter."

Jack's heart fluttered and he swallowed hard when he suddenly felt choked up. It might have been five months since they had gotten together, but sometimes he still couldn't believe that this was something Mac actually _wanted_. "Damn, baby, you tryin' to make me cry?" he asked, kissing Mac's temple. "Because it's working." Mac didn't say anything, only nuzzled Jack's skin, and Jack almost melted. "I love you," Jack murmured. "I know I said it already, but I really, really do."

"I never get tired of hearing it," Mac told him, lips moving against the scruff on Jack's neck. "I love you too." Before they could say anything more, there was a knock at the door followed by a nurse - Jack recognized her as the one who had taken his vitals a couple hours ago.

"Hey there," she said, her tone far too perky for this time of the morning, but she barely looked twice at Mac which was a point in her favor. "I heard a rumor that you might be going home today, providing you can eat breakfast and make it to the bathroom."

"Oh, please, I got this," Jack said with a wide grin on his face, and the nurse chuckled under her breath. Mac was still snuggled up to him, all sleepy and soft now that he had relaxed again after the nightmare, and Jack almost didn't want to move. Almost, because he really wanted to get out of the hospital and for that he needed to get up and prove he was doing fine.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm moving," Mac grumbled before Jack could say anything, and the nurse chuckled again.

"You guys are adorable," she said with a small, watching them with an amused look on her face.

"Nah, I think that's mostly him," Jack said, nodding toward Mac and grinning wider when that made him blush. "Alright, let's see if I fall on my ass or not."

He slowly maneuvered his legs over the side of the bed, and Mac was there with his hands on Jack's shoulders in case he needed help. Carefully he pushed himself up, grunting when the movement pulled on his stitches, but then he was standing and looking into the smiling faces of Mac and the nurse.

"Okay, I'll go wrangle you some breakfast," the nurse said, patting Jack on the arm. "By the time you've had something to eat I bet your friends will be here to visit."

She left and Jack carefully sat on the edge of the bed. Mac joined him a second later, their thighs glued together as he plastered himself to Jack’s side. When Jack looked at him Mac smiled that sunshine smile of his that was for Jack only and he leaned in, pressing their lips together.

Kissing Mac was something that was never going to get old. Jack loved the softness of his lips, the way he brought his fingers up to touch Jack's cheek, and how he was more than happy to have Jack's tongue in his mouth but never yielded, never gave any less than he got. Unfortunately Jack was out of breath much sooner than he would have liked and had to pull back, pressing their foreheads together instead. "I love you," he murmured, tucking an errant section of Mac's hair behind his ear. "You feelin' any better?"

Mac’s arms circled his neck and shoulders and he exhaled softly, nuzzling Jack’s cheek. “I should be asking _you_ that,” he murmured before pulling back and looking at Jack with those gorgeous blue eyes. “I’m... I’m better I think,” he said quietly. “That dream was so... so real, but I’m fine.”

"Good." Jack smiled at him, thumb rubbing over his cheekbone. "And you kinda don't need to ask me how I am, baby - I'm moving around, that's an improvement." He sighed and moved to stand again, his smile widening when Mac stood with him. "You gonna come with me to the bathroom too? Afraid I'll hit my head and wind up with amnesia?"

Mac blushed again and he ducked his head. “I... I’m sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I just... I have a hard time letting you out of my sight. But I’ll just... I’ll wait by the door?” he suggested shyly, and Jack smiled softly, pulling him closer and kissing his cheek.

“Okay, baby.” He slowly started walking to the bathroom with Mac right behind him, but just like he had said, Mac stayed outside once Jack closed the bathroom door. Once he was out of Mac's sight Jack sat down on the toilet, not wanting to risk having to stand up and aim. His whole body felt heavy like he was carrying around a suitcase, and all he really wanted to do was go back to sleep... but he wanted to get the fuck out of the hospital first.

After using the facilities and washing his hands he opened the door and found that while he was gone an orderly had brought him breakfast - and from the way Mac had wandered away from his post to poke at the scrambled eggs, it didn't look half bad. "You hungry too, hoss?" Jack asked, grinning when Mac startled. "Go ahead and have some. I think the nurse sent up two plates for a reason."

"They're being surprisingly nice about me staying here with you," Mac said, shoving a fork with eggs into his mouth. After making his way back to the bed Jack sat down and grabbed a fork, digging in as well. "Remember when I had my ribs bruised a month into our relationship? That nurse almost kicked you out of my room when you refused to leave."

Jack winced - that was not his best moment. "In her defense, I was being a little belligerent," he admitted. "And I did sort of threaten to handcuff myself to your bed and swallow the key."

"I remember that," Matty's voice said, surprising them both. She walked into the room along with Riley, Bozer, James, Leanna, and Desi. They were all carrying something, from what Jack presumed were clothes for him to trays of coffee cups and balloons that said "get well soon". "I had to give her two extra weeks of vacation just so she'd stay at the Phoenix after listening to you bitch."

"Well, in my defense, they all should know by now that if Mac's hurt I'm not leaving his side," Jack pointed out, waving his fork around.

"Mhm, it works both ways," Mac piped up around a mouthful of scrambled eggs, and Jack grinned at him, lifting his fist to bump Mac's.

Matty made a face at them and rolled her eyes, apparently giving up and deciding not to discuss this with them. "You're lucky you're my best agents," she muttered. "Otherwise I'd have gotten rid of you years ago."

Everybody either found chairs or sat on the floor, and Bozer started passing around food for them to eat. As delicious as the bacon they have looked, Jack wasn't really interested in seeing whether his system could handle it right now. "So how do you feel?" Leanna asked him.

"Kinda like I got shot," Jack joked, and he laughed when Desi punched his leg. "How was Mumbai? You'll pardon me for saying this, but you ladies are looking a little rough."

Desi rolled her eyes, the big purple bruise on her jaw even more visible when she tilted her head. "It was fun," she drawled, leaning back in her chair and popping a piece of bacon into her mouth.

Leanna snorted and glared a little at Desi, but the corner of her mouth was twitching up in a smile. "You have a weird definition of fun."

"Sounds like you two should work together more often," Mac commented, a little smile spreading on his face, and he laughed when Desi punched his leg next. "Hey, you and I had fun when we were in the field."

"You're all crazy," Bozer declared, elbowing Riley. "You're dating a crazy woman!"

"So are you," Riley countered, but she squeezed Desi's hand when it came up to tap her on the knee. Then she turned her attention to Jack. "So are they gonna let you go home today?"

Jack took a moment to think about how hilarious it was that they had all paired up into romantic couples in their little gang - and by that he meant _everybody_, judging by how James and Matty had been showing up together almost everywhere. He didn't think Mac had connected the dots yet and he couldn't wait for the moment when the realization hit him. “Well, I passed the tests,” he answered Riley’s question. “I got up on my own and I ate, so they should let me out of here.”

"That's great," James said as he handed Jack a cup of coffee. "You have as much time off as you need, and so does Angus. Maybe you two should take a vacation or something."

"Not to Las Vegas," Matty added hastily. "We all remember what happened last time."

"What about a nice hotel in Malibu or something?" Mac suggested, glancing at Jack and threading their fingers together. "Once you're feeling up to it, I mean."

“That would be awesome,” Jack said softly, glancing at Mac and losing himself in his eyes for a moment. They had never really gone on vacation after getting together, so he was actually looking forward to raiding a buffet with Mac and maybe keeping him hostage in a bed. “And don’t worry, Matty, I don’t think I’ll be in a mood for Vegas any time soon,” he said after a moment, giving Matty a small grin.

"Good, because if I find out you two managed to get kidnapped and Mac had to fake your death again I'll be pissed," Matty said, but her tone indicated she would be more worried than anything else.

They chatted for a while and eventually Dr Hoover came in, smiling when she saw Jack sitting up. "You ready to get out of here? I've got them drawing up your discharge papers now."

"Hell yeah," Jack said with a grin. "No offense, but I'm not a fan of hospitals."

"None taken," Hoover replied, checking something in his chart. "Now, you probably should have someone stay with you for a while, but somehow I don't think that's gonna be a problem," she said, glancing knowingly at Mac who blushed a little again.

"No, they're pretty much attached at the hip anyway," Riley said, a big grin on her face when that only made Mac flush a deeper red. "I think Jack will be well taken care of."

"Well, in that case, let's get you out of here," Hoover said, and reached into the pocket of her lab coat. She produced several bottles of prescriptions. "You've got antibiotics, pain meds, and some cholestyramine if you need it - it'll help absorb the bile that your gallbladder would've if you find you're having digestive issues." She looked at him sternly. "It is _imperative_ that if your skin or eyes turn yellow or you run a fever that you get to a hospital right away. Understood?"

"Yes, of course," Mac replied before Jack could, and he stood up, grabbing the meds from Hoover. He held them up and read all the labels before putting them all in his bag, unaware of Hoover watching him in amusement.

"As you can see, doc, I'm gonna be just fine," Jack said teasingly, grinning when Mac's head snapped up and he glanced between him and Hoover with a sheepish smile on his face.

"I don't doubt it," Hoover said. "Ah, before I forget, you probably want to know when you can have sex-"

"Now, we don't have to know this, am I right?" James interjected, his voice a little hysterical as he stood up and bolted out of the room.

Everyone was quiet for a moment and then Desi said, "Wow, Mac, who knew your old man was such a prude?"

"Oh trust me, he's not," Matty said, seemingly without thinking, and when Mac turned to stare at her with wide eyes she rolled hers. "Really, you hadn't figured out that your father and I are dating? We weren't exactly being subtle about it - hell, I think even Dalton knows."

Mac kept staring at her, his lips moving soundlessly, and then he turned his gaze to Jack. He looked adorable, but also so shocked that Jack felt a little bad for him, so he reached out to grab him by his sleeve and tug him closer. “They really weren't subtle about it, baby,” he murmured, kissing Mac’s cheek and chuckling when he still didn't say anything. “Matty, I think you broke him. So, doc, while he reboots,” he said, glancing at Hoover, “about that sex thing?”

Hoover smiled at him. "Listen to your body, and don't do anything that hurts. I don't know how you guys do things but I'd recommend not trying penetration for a while so you can let those sutures heal. Whatever else you'd like to do is completely up to you." Bozer was rubbing his forehead and muttering to himself, while all the women seemed nonplussed.

James came in once Hoover said her goodbyes, and he was carrying Jack's discharge paperwork. "Here, sign this and don't look me in the eye," he said, and Jack couldn't help but bark out a surprised laugh.

He grabbed the paperwork from him and started signing it, eager to just get it over with and get out of there. "What happened to him?" James asked, and when Jack glanced at him, James was watching Mac curiously, because he still seemed like he was offline.

"He found out about you and Matty," Jack commented, going back to the paperwork, but the he felt the corner of his mouth twitch up when James choked on air.

"Angus, we were going to tell you..." James started, and he looked nervous, like he was afraid Mac was going to react badly. "It's just... it's pretty new, and if it didn't work out -"

"You thought it wouldn't work out? Screw you, Jim," Matty interjected, but there was no real heat behind it.

Mac blinked a few times and shook his head a little, then said slowly, "I... I understand. It's just... hard for me to picture you with anyone but Mom." He glanced at Matty and smiled a little. "But... I'm glad it's you."

Matty smiled back, but then she was back to her normal self and she stood up. "Alright, everyone, out!" She started herding everyone out of the room. "Let's give, Dalton a chance to get dressed and then let's get the hell out of here, come on."

They all listened to her and walked out of the room, leaving Jack just with Mac who was thankfully back to functioning like a human being. "I think Bozer brought some clothes for you as well," he said with a small smile, gesturing at the bag on the floor.

"That's great, I'd like to get out of this dress," Jack said, glancing down at himself and making a face.

"I don't know," Mac mused, smiling as he pulls a shirt and a pair of sweatpants out of the bag. "I sorta like the open back. Gives easy access to... certain parts of you."

"Is that so," Jack drawled, smirking and raising his eyebrow. "You heard what the doc said, hoss, looks like it's gonna be a while before you can get reacquainted with those certain parts of me you seem so fond of." His smirk widened when Mac tossed the clothes on the bed and stood between Jack's legs, wrapping his arms around his neck. "But we're definitely lookin' into that roleplay thing."

"Were you not listening when she was talking?" Mac asked, his fingertips stroking through the short hair on the back of Jack's head. "She said no _penetrative_ sex for a while... I'm pretty sure that doesn't mean I can't blow you."

Jack groaned, fire flaring low in his belly at Mac's words, hands coming to rest on his hips. "Baby, you can't just talk like that, you know what it does to me."

"Mhmm, I do," Mac murmured, nuzzling Jack's cheek. "That's exactly why I'm talking like that." 

"You're a tease, you know that?" Jack muttered, tugging on Mac's hips and pulling him closer before sliding both hands lower to grope his ass. Mac's breath hitched a little and Jack smirked again, turning his head to nip on Mac's lower lip. "I can be a tease too," he breathed out, fingers of one hand toying with the waistband of the sweatpants Mac was wearing.

"So can I," the nurse from earlier said, giggling when they both jumped about a foot in the air. Mac tried to step back but Jack didn't let him, kissing his cheek and sharing a conspiratorial grin with the nurse. She came over and removes the IVs from his hands along with the pulse monitor. "You're all set." Then she headed for the door, adding over her shoulder, "And if you're looking for roleplay costumes, there's a great shop up in LA. Search for sexy nurse costumes and you should find it."

Mac made a tiny squeaking sound and the nurse giggled again before leaving and Jack couldn't help but laugh. "You're so cute when you blush," he commented, laughing when Mac punched his shoulder. "Hey now!"

"Keep talking like that and I'll take the clothes away and you'll have to walk around with your ass hanging out of that gown," Mac muttered, but without real heat behind it and Jack grinned.

"I bet you'd love that, darlin'," he said, and kept smiling when Mac glared at him.

Mac grumbled under his breath, but he helped ease Jack out of his hospital gown and crouched down to put on his sweatpants for him too. He bit his lower lip when he saw the bandages covering Jack's middle and said, "The discharge instructions say you can take those off when we get home, and maybe I can help you shower. No baths."

Jack made a face. "I'm gonna have to get staples yanked out of me at some point, ain't I? Man, I hate that. The sound of the thingy they use to take 'em out is worse than how it feels."

"I'll hold your hand," Mac said with a smile, and kissed his cheek. "And if you're a good boy I'll get you a burger."

"There are other things you could do if I'm a good boy," Jack replied, waggling his eyebrows, and Mac let out a laugh, bright and pretty just like it should be.

"We'll see about that," Mac said with a cheeky grin, steadying Jack when he slowly stood up. He slipped his arm through Jack's, and Jack suspected it was half to help him stay balanced and half to just stay close - either way he was fine with it. Mac shouldered their bags and they walked out together, joining the others where they were chatting quietly in the hallway.

"We've got a plane waiting to take us home," Matty informed them, smiling up at Jack. "Good to see you up and around, Dalton. I think I speak for everybody when I say we were all much more worried about you than we let on."

"Awww, Matty," Jack said, clutching his heart. "Always knew you cared more than you show." "Yeah, yeah." Matty rolled her eyes before raising her eyebrow. "If anyone else ever finds out, you're fired, you understand?"

"We'll all pretend we didn't hear you say it," Desi told her, all of them snickering as Matty herded them out of the hospital. And Jack was suddenly, viscerally grateful that he was here to enjoy this, to love these people he had come to think of as family.

The car ride to the airport was thankfully short and smooth, and so was the takeoff once they were on board. Mac wound up snuggled up on one side of Jack and Riley took the other one; he kissed her hair and thought not for the first time that he was one lucky son of a bitch. He remembered how in the past he hadn't always cared about what happened to him during his missions, but that was definitely not the case now. Right now he had something - someone - to stay alive and keep fighting for, so that was exactly what he was going to do.

Just like back at the hospital, he felt tired and would love nothing more than go to sleep, but it was a short flight and he knew that if he fell asleep for a short while he was going to feel even more tired once he woke up. So he forced himself to stay awake and thankfully others were there to keep him occupied.

Bozer started up a game of Would You Rather that naturally devolved into nothing more than thinly veiled sexual metaphors, but even James took the stick out of his ass and played along. The flight was only a couple of hours, and when they landed in LA Jack gritted his teeth through it and let Mac help him to his feet.

When they got on the tarmac, the GTO was waiting for them, and Jack turned wide eyes to the group. "Which one of you drove my baby here?"

"I thought Mac was your baby," Riley remarked, amused. "It was me, don't worry. We thought you might like to ride in your own car on your way home... plus we didn't know how long you'd be in the hospital and I didn't want to leave it in the Phoenix garage."

"I've made my peace with sharing Jack's affection," Mac said solemnly, and Jack chuckles, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"I love you more, don't worry." Then he looked at Riley and gave her a hug. "Thanks, baby girl. Both for driving her here and not letting Desi or Bozer behind the wheel."

"Hey, just because I cracked up that one car - " Bozer started, but Leanna thankfully covered his mouth before he could dig his own grave.

They all said their goodbyes and promised to come over with takeout for dinner, and Jack was surprised when James stopped him and held out his arms. "Bring it in, Jack." When Jack just stared, James raised an eyebrow in a way that was eerily similar to Mac. "You saved my son's life and almost died doing it. I think I'm allowed to hug you."

The man had a point so Jack slowly stepped into his arms, feeling like he had just entered some kind of alternate universe. “Thank you, Jack,” James murmured, and then he pulled back and walked away with Matty, heading for his Range Rover.

Once they were all gone Mac grabbed Jack’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “So, I know you don’t like when people drive your car and that I have a... tendency to burn stuff down, but I don’t think you’re in a shape to drive,” he said, biting his lower lip.

Jack sighed the sigh of the long-suffering and handed Mac the keys Riley had pressed into his palm. "Here. Not one scratch though, you hear me?"

"Yes, sir," Mac said dryly, kissing his cheek before they got in the car. It did feel nice to sit in it, even if Jack was on the passenger's side, and Mac drove very sedately out of the airport and in the direction of his house.

“Hey, all joking aside,” Jack started after a moment, reaching out to squeeze Mac’s thigh when they were waiting for the light to turn green, “you know I don’t mind you driving my car, right? I love you, and at the end of the day the car doesn’t matter. You do.”

Mac glanced at him and smiled, one of those small but genuine things that told Jack he was really happy. "I know, and I love you too. I'd just hate to wreck your car when I know it means so much to you."

"You're actually a decent driver," Jack said, leaving his hand where it was even after Mac stepped on the gas. "I just like giving you shit."

"How romantic," Mac teased, and god, Jack loved him so much. They rode in silence for a while and then when they stumbled upon another red light Mac covered Jack's hand with his own. "How are you feeling?" he asks softly. "You seem tired, babe."

"I am," Jack admitted, squeezing Mac's fingers. "Didn't wanna fall asleep on the plane because I figured I'd just feel worse once we got back to the house... I could definitely use a nap."

"I think that can be arranged," Mac said, picking up Jack's hand to kiss the back of it. They pulled into the driveway a moment later, and it struck Jack that he had come to think of Mac's house as his own even though he had only lived there for a few months.

Once Mac killed the engine, they got out of the car and Mac immediately walked around to grab Jack’s hand. They headed inside the house and Mac tugged Jack into the bedroom right away. “Trying to get me in bed? Sneaky,” Jack commented, grinning a little, and Mac just snorted.

“Thought you wanted a nap?” he asked, stepping closer to give Jack a soft kiss. “Unless you want a shower first?”

Jack thought about it for a moment. "Maybe a shower, but only if you help me."

"I can do that," Mac whispered, kissing him again, his touches against Jack's body extraordinarily gentle. "Come on."

He took him into the bathroom and stripped Jack of his clothes, then set about peeling off the layers of gauze around his middle. When he pulled off the last of the bandages and they both got their first look at the incision, Mac gasped. It was a long row of angry-looking staples that ran from the bottom of Jack's ribcage to justbelow his bellybutton, and even he had to admit it was pretty ghastly.

Mac reached out with a trembling hand, his fingers brushing gently against the incision. “Hey,” Jack murmured, “I’m alright, yeah? I’m gonna be fine, this is nothin’.”

“Doesn’t look like nothing,” Mac whispered, looking at Jack with eyes full of pain. “I’m... I’m sorry. About all of this.”

"And I told you, baby, you've got nothing to be sorry for," Jack said, pushing his fingers through Mac's hair. "You're worth it. Also... I'm gonna have a pretty cool scar, so there's that." Mac was startled by that, enough that he let out a laugh as he stripped off his own clothes. He was gorgeous as usual, all tan skin and lean muscles, and Jack felt his dick twitch despite his exhaustion and the injury to his body. "God, you're beautiful," he said, and Mac flushed a pretty pink color.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” he murmured after a moment, and grabbed Jack’s hand to tug him into the shower. He turned the water on and Jack was unable to stop himself, so he wrapped his arms around Mac and pulled him closer until their lips were an inch apart. He nuzzled Mac’s nose, smiling a little before he leaned into to kiss him, momentarily forgetting about the pain and exhaustion.

It came back to him when their bodies pressed together and Jack hissed when the staples got pushed into his body. Mac pulled back from the kiss and angled himself away so they didn't accidentally make contact again. He looked at Jack with big, sad eyes, and Jack had to kiss him again. "Darlin', I'm gonna be in pain for a while. You don't gotta look like a kicked puppy every time."

"I'm sor-" Mac started, but paused when Jack gave him a pointed look. "I just don't like to see you in pain," he admitted quietly, but then he kissed Jack's cheek and the corner of his mouth.

"I'm good, baby, I promise," Jack murmured, turning his head to catch Mac's lips again, kissing him deeper this time and reveling in how good it felt.

Mac made a soft sound in the back of his throat and wrapped his arms around Jack's neck, leaning against the wall of the shower as they kissed leisurely. One of Jack's hands gripped his hip, and the other one cupped Mac's cheek, fingers threading into his hair, their tongues twining together as the warm washed over them both.

Jack pulled back after a moment when his lungs screamed a little in protest, but he didn't move too far and rest his forehead against Mac's. "I know I got shot only yesterday, but... I missed this," he said quietly, pressing his lips to Mac's jaw. Having Mac this close was addicting, as was the taste of his skin, and Jack could never get enough. He slid the hand that he had on Mac's hip up and down his side, loving how smooth his skin was and how it felt under his fingertips, and he pressed himself closer, ignoring the sparks of pain.

Mac widened his stance so Jack could press his thigh between his legs, which had the added benefit of taking some pressure off Jack's abdomen. He mouthed over Mac's pulse, sucking a bruise into his skin and loving the noises he was making, like he was trying to rein in his moans. "You don't need to keep quiet on my account, baby," he murmured, biting at Mac's collarbone. "Wasn't my ears that got hurt."

Mac’s hands gripped his shoulders and he moaned softly, his head hitting the wall behind him with a quiet thud. “I didn’t- I didn’t wanna get carried away,” Mac gasped, moaning again when Jack bit at his shoulder, hips grinding into him. “I don’t want to pressure you into anything.”

“That’s sweet of you, darlin’,” Jack murmured, grinning against Mac’s skin. “But I don’t feel pressured, now do I?” he asked in a whisper, pressing his hard cock into Mac’s hip.

"You don't," Mac agreed breathlessly, hands moving to frame Jack's face and pull him up for a kiss. "But maybe the shower isn't the best place for this?"

Jack groaned theatrically, but Mac had a point - they had almost died having shower sex when they were both perfectly healthy. If Jack fell down now his guts could wind up all over the place, and if that wasn't a boner killer he didn't know what was. "Fine, fine," he grumbled, nuzzling Mac's cheek. "Then give me my sponge bath so we can get the hell out of here, nurse."

Mac snorted against his temple and tightened his arms around him. “Yes, sir,” he murmured, and damn, why was that making Jack’s dick twitch? Mac pulled back with a wide grin and pecked his lips before slipping out of his arms so that he wasn't pinned to the wall. Then they actually showered and this might have been one of the quickest showers Jack had ever taken. Mac tugged him out a moment later and wrapped a towel around him, leaning in to nuzzle his nose, the smile on his face turning softer.

"What?" Jack asked, letting his eyes roam over the features he loved so much. High cheekbones, the faintest indent of one dimple, the slight cant to Mac's head as he took him in.

"Nothing," Mac murmured, leaning in to press another soft kiss to his mouth. "I just really love you."

"I love you too," Jack replied, clearing his throat to dispel the rough edge to his voice. "You're amazing, darlin'."

"I'm pretty sure that's you," Mac murmured, pulling back to cup Jack's cheek with his hand. His thumb was softly rubbing over his skin, and the moment had turned surprisingly gentle considering what they had been up to not that long ago in the shower.

Jack turned his head a little to kiss the inside of Mac's wrist and nuzzle the skin, unable to hold back a smile. He circled Mac's waist with his arms, holding him close as he murmured, "Wanna go to bed, baby?"

"Yeah, I do," Mac whispered, and walked backward through the doorway toward the bed. Once they reached it, Mac crawled on first and tugged Jack down with him, helping him maneuver until he was leaning his back against the headboard. Then he sat between Jack's legs and leaned in to kiss him briefly, before his mouth traveled down to Jack's jaw, then his neck. "I wasn't kidding about blowing you," he mumbled, and Jack couldn't stifle a groan at the thought.

"I think it's safe to say that I'm definitely on board," Jack gasped when Mac started sucking on his pulse point, his hands mapping out his chest. Once he was satisfied with the bruise, Mac moved to nip on Jack collarbone and then moved lower, kissing his way down his chest. He paused to run his tongue over one of his nipples and Jack groaned loudly, his hands gripping Mac's arms as he let his head hit the headboard.

Jack shuddered when Mac's tongue gave his other nipple the same treatment, this time with a little bit of teeth. "You're way too good at this," he commented, not for the first time, moaning when Mac's mouth sucked a bruise into the thin skin over his ribs. He avoided the incision and shimmied down the bed, attaching his mouth to Jack's thigh next. He bit him a little harder this time and then he moved up to nip in Jack’s hip, deliberately avoiding his cock that was back to being fully hard against his stomach. Mac trailed his lips to Jack’s other hip, sliding lower to mouth at his other thigh, and Jack groaned in frustration. “You’re a shit,” he gritted through his teeth, his hand sliding into Mac’s hair to give it a firm tug. “A teasing little shit.”

Mac pushed his head up into Jack's touch and grinned up at him. "You love it." He did, which was the worst part, but thankfully it didn't take much longer to get to the main event. Mac's tongue flicked out and licked a stripe up Jack's cock, then he put his mouth over the head and sucked lightly before he sank deeper over his length.

"Oh, fuck," Jack groaned, gripping the bedsheets with one hand while tightening the other one in Mac's hair, knowing how much he liked it. Mac moaned softly, sending vibrations down Jack's cock, and then sank even lower until he took him all in. It seemed like he was done teasing because he swallowed around Jack's cock and then started bobbing his head up and down, making Jack see stars.

"That's so good, baby," Jack said, his voice shaking with it. He couldn't lift his hips to thrust up into the sensation, not without pain flaring over his abdomen, so he stayed still and let the pleasure Mac gives him wash through his body, tugging his hair when he did something particularly skillful with his tongue.

And as Mac's pace increased, his throat working around the intrusion of Jack's cock, the warmth pooling in Jack's belly grew hotter. He was breathing heavily and he was so close he could almost taste it. "M-Mac, baby," he groaned, because no matter how many times they had done it, he wasn't going to come down Mac's throat without a warning. "Baby, I'm gonna-" he choked out, but just like always, Mac didn't pull back. If anything, he started moving even faster, and Jack lost it when Mac swallowed around him and he came with a loud groan, and Mac worked him through it with his tongue, swallowing as Jack's come filled up his mouth.

He pulled off before Jack got too sensitive, licking his lips before he wiped them off on the back of his hand. He looked absolutely sinful, hair a mess and hickeys on his neck, and when he leaned up to kiss Jack he could taste himself on Mac's tongue. Mac made a high-pitched whining sound when Jack's fingers wrapped around his cock, but he put his hand on Jack's wrist before he could stroke him and said, "You... you don't have to, if you don't feel up to it."

It was sweet and Jack's heart swelled with how much he loved that selfless idiot. "Don't be ridiculous," Jack murmured, sliding his free hand up and down Mac's back. He held him close, pressing their lips together, and Mac relaxed against him, releasing Jack's wrist after a moment so that he could wrap both arms around Jack's neck.

Jack started stroking him slowly, planning to tease him first as a payback for what Mac had been doing earlier. Mac's breath hitched, and he pressed his face against Jack's cheek, shutting his eyes and leaning into his touch. His hips twitched and ground forward, and Jack could hear his gasps and little moans near his ear. "Jack... feels good," Mac told him, trembling in Jack's grip, nails digging into the skin of his shoulders.

"Oh, yeah?" Jack drawled, pressing his lips to Mac's ear and stroking him lazily. "So you're sayin' I should keep this up? Draw it out, tease you all day? Because I can definitely do it, baby, I'm not in a rush and I don't have other plans." He tightened his grip on Mac's cock and gave him a couple of fast, rough strokes that made Mac whine, and then he slowed down again, nuzzling Mac's ear. "What do you say, baby?"

Mac made a low noise and nips at Jack's earlobe. "Fuck, Jack, please," he whispered, gasping when Jack's other hand slid down from his back to rest on his ass. His fingers slipped into Mac's ass crack, brushing over his hole and rubbing teasingly.

"You wanna grab the lube? I can fuck you with my fingers," Jack offered, scraping his teeth against the jut of Mac's cheekbone before grinning wickedly. "Or I can spank you. Your choice."

Mac whined loudly before pulling back and throwing himself across the mattress to yank the nightstand drawer open. He grabbed the lube and scrambled back, crawling into Jack’s lap and straddling him, pressing the bottle into his hand. “Please, Jack,” he whimpered, his lips moving against Jack’s cheek. “Please.”

"Okay, baby," Jack mumbled, and got the lube open. He spread some on his fingers and trailed them back to Mac's entrance at the same time that he wrapped his fingers around his cock again. He circled Mac's hole teasingly with one finger before he pushed it inside, making Mac keen against his ear. He moved his finger slowly in and out, stroking Mac at the same time and loving how he gasped and moaned into his ear. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous like this,” Jack murmured, nipping on Mac earlobe before adding a second finger. Mac jolted a little in his loud and moaned louder, clawing at Jack’s shoulders with his fingernails, and he seemed torn between thrusting into Jack’s hand and pushing back against his fingers. Jack ended his struggle by letting go of his cock and he wrapped his arms around Mac’s waist, pushing his fingers deeper inside him and searching for his prostate.

Mac cried out when he found it and Jack kept his fingers on that spot, bumping it lightly with the tips before he curled them and pressed his knuckles there. Shuddering and whining, Mac bit at Jack's jaw and breathed in harshly when Jack slipped a third finger inside and spread them apart.

Jack's shoulders hurt a little from how tightly Mac was clinging to him, but he didn't mind. He twisted his wrist a little and he started pushing his fingers in and out of Mac, imitating the way he would have fucked him with his cock, and Mac kept moaning and crying out, his hips moving as he tried to fuck himself on Jack's fingers. "You think you can come like that?" Jack murmured into his ear. "Just from my fingers?"

Mac nodded vigorously, and when he spoke it came out as a sob: "I'm so close, Jack, please don't stop."

"I won't, baby," Jack said against his temple, pressing his lips to every inch of skin he could reach. "I've got you, I'm right here." He jabbed his fingers in deeper and harder, hitting Mac's prostate again and again, and he felt it when his whole body tensed and he started to come with a gasping moan, shaking apart in Jack's arms as he painted his own abs with his release.

Jack worked him through his orgasm and removed his fingers when Mac sagged in his hold and collapsed against his chest. His body was trembling and he pushed his face into Jack's neck, his arms wrapped tightly around his neck, and Jack hugged him close, soothingly stroking his back with his hand. "You alright, baby?" he asked in a whisper when Mac didn't say anything, only curling up in his lap and panting against his skin.

"I'm... yeah, I'm good," Mac replied, his voice ragged and cracking audibly. A moment later Jack felt wetness against his neck and realized with some alarm that Mac was crying.

"Darlin', what's wrong?" he asked, the hand on Mac's back traveling up into his hair. "You said you were okay."

"I am okay," Mac whispered, sniffling and clinging to Jack even more. "I just... I was so scared I... that you wouldn't make it. Back in that warehouse..." Mac's body shook a little as he tried and failed to stifle a sob. "Right before the paramedics got there, I was losing you. I was begging you not to l-leave m-me, but there was nothing I could do."

Jack didn't remember that - everything after he had gotten shot was sort of blurry - but he didn't doubt what Mac was saying. "I'm sorry, baby," he murmured, hugging Mac as close as he could without hurting himself. "I wish I hadn't scared you so badly."

"I'm so glad you're okay," Mac whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Jack's neck. "I know I said that already, but..." He trailed off, nuzzling Jack's skin before pulling back. His eyes were red-rimmed and even more blue than usually, and even though he was crying he was still the most beautiful thing Jack had ever seen. He framed Jack's face with his hands and pulled him in for a gentle kiss, lingering for a moment before he glanced at himself. "I think I need another shower," he chuckled wetly, and sniffled again.

Jack kissed his jaw. "Our towels are on the floor," he reminded him quietly. Mac smiled at him and leaned down to grab one, cleaning himself off so he didn't have to go back in the bathroom. Then he curled up against Jack's side, nudging his way under his arm and tugging the covers up over them both. "You wanna take a nap?" Jack asked him, stifling a yawn. "Because I'm exhausted, and you know everybody's coming over for dinner later."

"Mhmm, yeah, a nap sounds nice," Mac murmured, snuggling closer once Jack slid lower to lie on his back. "And I can always call them and tell them not come today," he offered, tilting his head to look at Jack. His cheeks were still wet with tears, but at least he wasn't crying anymore. "They'd understand."

Jack wrapped his arm tightly around Mac's shoulders and pressed a kiss to his hair. "We don't have any food in the house," hereminded, nuzzling at his temple. "Besides, as long as I can just sit on the couch and eat, I don't mind the company."

"Of course you don't," Mac muttered fondly, and Jack felt him smile against his shoulder. "But you have a point about the food. I guess I can always kick them out if I feel like spending more time with just you."

Jack smiled too. "You're gonna spend more time with me, all right," he murmured, and reached over to the nightstand. He opened the bottom drawer instead of the top one, holding the ring box he had been hiding there since he had moved in out to Mac. "I was thinking maybe the rest of our lives?"

Mac inhaled sharply and sat up straight, suddenly way more awake than just seconds ago. "What?" he breathed out, staring at the box in Jack's hand with wide eyes and sitting completely still.

"Yeah." Jack smiled and also sat up, wincing only a little. "I know this isn't how it's traditionally done... but I hoped you wouldn't mind." And deep down he knew he had nothing to worry about, but still, his heart was pounding nervously as he took a deep breath and asked: "So what do you say? Will you marry me?"

Mac reached out with both hands and grabbed Jack's face, pulling him in for a kiss. "Yes, of course I will," he said, kissing Jack again, pressing their smiles together.

He didn't seem to care in the slightest about the ring itself, but Jack did. He popped the box open and took out the ring - a silver band with a flat line of black onyx embedded in it - and slipped it on Mac's left ring finger. "You like it?" he asked, happiness bubbling up in his chest. "I had it made for you."

Mac pulled back to look down at the ring, lifting his hand a little to examine it closely. "It's beautiful," he said, the smile on his face softening even more if that was possible. When he looked up, his eyes were shining, but this time with happy tears and he leaned in to kiss Jack again. "I love it."

"Yeah, well, I love you," Jack said, leaning in to kiss Mac's cheek and nuzzle at his skin. He smiled when Mac murmured the words back to him, and they lied down again. Mac cuddled into his side and put his hand on Jack's chest, the ring cool against his skin. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"I could say the same thing about you," Mac replied, pressing a kiss to Jack's collarbone. Jack smiled, but before he could say anything, he yawned widely and Mac chuckled. "You should really get some rest," he murmured softly, tilting his head to kiss Jack's jaw.

"Mhmm, if you insist," Jack mumbled, his eyelids growing heavier by the second. He made sure his arm around Mac was secure, and the last thing he did before he drifted off into a dreamless sleep was kiss the top of Mac's head and tell whatever God is listening that he was thankful to be home.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment if you enjoyed! ♥


End file.
